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In Germany, the thing about using surnames as first names has never been normal, and unlike in English (my opinion) many German surnames are way too terrible to allow people to call their child this, for example Schafflhuber, Mittermaier, Schulz, and names like Röckenwagner. I think it makes sense in Germany to forbid using surnames, while I love that it's possible in Great Britain etc. because there are many English surnames that I find totally cool and OK as first names.
I find most of the German naming laws reasonable, the only thing I hate is that it totally depends on who the freaking clerk at the register office is because I've heard so many stories. Many of them don't allow a name that they haven't heard before, and then again there are some who allow names like San Diego which I find more ridiculous than for example Tuula (Finnish) which a friend of my mother wanted to use for her baby, but couldn't.